The San Francisco 49ers had a tumultuous offseason on the contract front.

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s hold-in for an extension lasted until Aug. 29. Left tackle Trent Williams’ holdout for a deal restructuring lasted until Sept. 3. It remains to be seen whether the protracted negotiations will impact the two All-Pros this season, but their contract woes provided a blueprint they simply cannot follow with quarterback Brock Purdy next offseason.

There’s a bit of good news on that front for San Francisco.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott agreed to a massive contract extension on Sunday, just before the team’s Week 1 kickoff. His deal is a four-year pact worth up to $240 million, with $231 million reportedly guaranteed.

Prescott’s $231 million guarantee would be the most ever for an NFL player. His average annual value of $60 million is also the highest ever.

This sets a solid line for the 49ers to work with when negotiating with Purdy. There’s no market to worry about like at wide receiver, where things changed drastically over the course of the offseason. Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa and Prescott were the next two big QB deals for Purdy, and both are done.

San Francisco’s front office now has a full season to prepare a competitive offer for Purdy. They know where the bar is, and it makes sense that Purdy would demand as much or more than Prescott, considering the 49ers quarterback has four playoff wins in two seasons — two more than Prescott has in eight. Purdy has also been to two NFC title games and a Super Bowl in two seasons. Prescott has never been to an NFC title game.

The 49ers’ business model of holding off on big contracts until training camp may not be the move they’re making with their franchise QB. Purdy is eligible to sign an extension as soon as Week 18 of the 2024 season ends. That’s when the 49ers need to pick up the phone with the QB’s rep to begin negotiations, and they need to begin those negotiations preparing to quickly raise their offer.

Prescott offered a clear line on Purdy’s value, and the 49ers just need to follow it accordingly to avoid another lengthy contract renegotiation with one of their most important players.